The FSDT Tanzania Experience FinScope in Tanzania The FSDT Tanzania Experience Ian Robinson, Technical Director FSDT Annette Altvater, FinScope Project Coordinator FinScope Africa Conference, Valley Lodge, Magaliesburg, SA, 28. March 2006

Key Issues for FinScope in Tanzania FinScope is the top priority project for FSDT A great deal of credibility rides on the successful outcome => Drives the decisions we take and the way we take them!

Key Issues (cont) FinScope engages a wide range of stakeholders (Stakeholder Task Force) with the aims of: Insuring stakeholders' understanding of key issues such as sampling, questionnaire design and project management => Securing “buy in” to maximise the chances of stakeholders actively using FinScope data & analysis Creating knowledge sharing and learning at local level to feed back into subsequent surveys.

Key Issues (cont) We won’t get it right first time, but… FinScope in Tanzania should be: As well thought through as possible Provide data and analysis in which stakeholders have confidence and will thus use For these reasons FSDT Employed a Project Coordinator Time is not the essence; getting it “right” is

FinScope Survey Status Awareness creation and information for a broad range of stakeholders Establishment of the Stakeholder Task Force and the ‘d-group’ webpage. Institutional arrangements for the FinScope implementing agents

Institutional Arrangements

Roles of FinScope Implementing Agents Individual master list Instrument design, FDGs, pilot testing, survey implementation, data capture/ cleaning/ electronic processing Knowledge transfer, Quality control Technical assistance and Implementing agent coordination & monitoring Tailoring FinScope to the Tanzanian context

FinScope Survey Status Questionnaire design and development Sample design and drawing up of master list of individuals in selected households Project management and coordination of implementing agents Quality control of deployed survey techniques Focus Group Discussion Recruitment and training of moderators (FDGs) and enumerators Methodology for drawing up a individual master list

Time Line for the Survey Focus groups & pilot survey – March/ April Drawing up master list – April Finalise questionnaire – early May Field work – mid May Data entry/ cleaning - July Segmentation & modelling - August Dissemination - September

Lessons Learned to Date FinScope initially can be difficult for stakeholders to grasp fully Methodology and terminology ‘translated’ and presented in a ‘digestible’ way to stakeholders, who come from different disciplines and are of different educational backgrounds At concept and planning stage it is difficult immediately to grasp the merits of FinScope Case studies are good to demonstrate how it can be done, but insufficient to explain the underlying concepts behinds FinScope. Takes time and clear explanation, e.g. of core & psychographic questions

Lessons Learned (cont) Difficult to keep stakeholders involvement and commitment consistent Keep stakeholders informed, consult but expect only limited proactive involvement Don’t involve everybody in everything: discuss only the sections of the questionnaire of interest to particular stakeholder groups

Lessons Learned (cont) Who is doing what? Select the right partner for the right tasks, e.g. division of tasks between Steadmans & NBS Tasks may be redefined in the course of the process, therefore contracts either agreed later &/ or kept flexible Survey techniques may need to be adjusted Local testing and probing of critical issues are worthwhile to complement experiences elsewhere

Lessons Learned (cont) Working materials provide for process documentation - at times requires complementary documentation Stakeholders represent potential users of survey data, not the individuals interviewed The individual consumer not necessarily represented as a stakeholder => Of utmost importance to deploy methodologies and tools that assess their perception and understanding.

Recommendations – for FMT Development of FinScope methodologies in the form of a course for implementing agents, sponsors and possibly stakeholders covering Underlying concepts Planning and design stage Logical process flow and issues to be considered at all stages Demonstration of applied knowledge by case studies Tools and methodologies of probing and testing Operational issues Technical issues to be considered and decided upon during the entire process. Problem-solving strategies

Recommendations – for Implementing Agents The applied methodology is only as good as it suits and serves the objective of the survey Nobody ‘runs the show’ on their own: FinScope is a collaborative effort – major efforts in coordination and flexibility During the process tasks may be refined. May have implications for working plans and budgets Take into account different levels of understanding, while dealing with other agents and stakeholders Strive for as much communication and knowledge sharing as possible. Ensure transparency of processes